Game board with shielded player stations



March 24, 1964 D. D. JORDAN 3,126,205

GAME BOARD WITH SHIELDED PLAYER STATIONS Filed April 27, 1960 ,2? (1Q 0 37 i 5 fig I qmw g5 33 u Illll ulll-"illlnm IIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR. DONALD D. JORDAN United States Patent 3,126,205 GAME BOARD WITH SLDED PLAYER STATION Donald D. .lordan, 1321 N. Oxford St., Indianapolis 1, End. Filed Apr. 27, 1960, $81. No. 25,133 3 Qlaims. (Cl. 273-130) The present invention relates to a game and to structure used for amusement or diversion.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and interesting game which can be played by both young and old.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game which is simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and highly amusing and entertaining to those partaking in the playing of the same.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a game capable of being played by two, three, four or possibly even more persons.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a game which makes use of conventional chips such as those used in the playing of poker and other games of chance. One feature of the present invention is the provision of a game including guards or shields which can be used to selectively hide and expose numerical combinations selected by each player.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided in one embodiment thereof, a game structure including a rectangular playing board provided with a number of circles on the central portion thereof. Each of the circles has one of a series of different numbers therein. A plurality of discs or dials are rotatably mounted adjacent each of the four sides of the board and carry a plurality of radially arranged numbers. A plurality of indicators are provided on the board for each of the discs whereby each of the discs may be rotated to indicate one of the numbers thereon. There is also provided a removable guard or shield for each side of the board, said guards or shields being so formed that they can selectively hide or expose all of the discs adjacent a particular side of the board.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following de scription and claims:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a playing board and associated structure forming an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a guard including three foldably connected sections of material, the guard being shown with its three sections arranged in a plane.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pair of chips used in playing the game of the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a playing board 25 having a plurality of circles 26 inscribed thereon, each circle marking off a separate area on the board 25. Each of the circles has one of a series of numbers 27 therein, the numbers in this particular embodiment including the num ers 1-16, 18 and 20. It can be seen that if a player desires to indicate amass Patented Mar. 24, l9$4 'ice a selection of a particular one of the numbers 27, he can place a chip or other marker upon the desired one of the numbers.

The playing board 25 has a rectangular or square configuration and thus, four sides 30 are provided. Each of the sides 30 is allocated to a particular player. Adjacent each of the sides 30 is rotatably mounted a group of three dials or discs 31, 32 and 33. The dials 31 carry the radially arranged numbers 1, 3, 5 and 7 and are all identical to one another. The dials 33 carry the radially arranged numbers 2, 4, 6 and 8 and are all identical to one another. The dials 32 each carry four radially arranged numbers 5, each of the four numbers 5 being of a different color, for example, green, red, black and white. All of the discs or dials 32 are also identical to one another.

As mentioned above, each of the discs or dials 3133 is rotatably mounted upon the playing board 25. This mounting may be accomplished by any suitable means; however, in the present embodiment this mounting is accomplished by means of fasteners 35 having legs 36 which are passed through suitable apertures in the playing board and are spread to attach the discs to the board. The playing board is provided with indicator or pointer markings 37 each of which is arranged to designate a particular one of the numbers carried by each of the dials 31-33. Thus, each player may rotate the three dials adjacent his side 30 in order to select a particular combination of three numbers, the selected number 5 on the dial 32 also having a selected color.

A guard or shield, indicated generally by the numeral 40 is provided for each of the groups of dials 31-33 for selectively exposing and hiding the combination of numbers selected by each player. Referring to FIG. 2, the guard 4Q consists of three sections 41, 42 and d3 of sheet material which are foldably connected along the lines 44 and 45. It can be seen that the portions or sections 41 and 43 extend from the section 42 at an obtuse angle to the length, thereof. Thus, the guard or shield may be folded along the lines 44 and 45 and may be set in a generally upright position as illustrated in FIG. 1 in front of its particular group of dials so as to hide the dials to all the players with the exception of the player who is operating the respective dials. It should be noted that the guard 40 is not attached in any manner to the playing board 25 and may be moved from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 to expose the combination of numbers designated by the dials.

In FIG. 4, there is illustrated a pair of chips 47 and 48, the chip 47 intended to represent a playing chip and the chip 48 intended to represent a board chip. The chips 47 and 48 illustrated are simple discs such as poker chips; however, it will be clear as the description proceeds that various other types of markers and counters might be used in connection with the game of the present invention.

The following description of game rules is intended to provide one example of the operation or use of the structure of the present invention. The illustrated playing board may be used in playing a game for two, three or four players. The play consists of matching a total of the numbers designated by one players dials to a number in the central portion of the board. Each player competes for playing chips 47, one of which is illustrated in FIG. 4. Each of the players chips 47 may for ex- 3 ample be white. The length of the game can be determined by a desired number of rounds or at the time one of the players collects all of the chips from his opponent or opponents.

Each player is given twenty-five of the white playing chips 47 and is given three of the board chips 4-8. The board chips 48 of each player have a particular color to designate that player. For example, one player might have red board chips while the other players would have blue, yellow and green board chips, respectively.

Each of the players is provided with one of the guards 40 which is placed in front of each players group of dials 31-33 (as illustrated with regard to the leftward dials in FIG. 1) to hide the dials from the remaining players. One of the players is selected to play against all of the other players and he is known as the Stand. The player to the left of the Stand selects a combination of numbers with his three dials 31-33, by rotating the dials until the indicators 37 designate the desired numbers.

This player then places one or more of his board chips on one or more of the numbers in the center of the board. The player may place his three board chips on one, two or three numbers or he may use only one or two of the board chips for placement. The numbers 2'7 selected are determined by adding together the possible totals of one or more of the numbers selected on his dials 31-33. For example, if the player selects 1 on his dial 31, the red on his dial 32 and 4 on his dial 33, he might select the number in the center of the board because it is the total of these three numbers. Other standards used in selecting the numbers 27 will become clear from the description below.

The player completes his turn by passing to the player to his left who then repeats the above described operation. It should be noted that a player may not change the position of his dials or of his chips after he has passed or he loses his turn and his chances to win chips.

After each player has passed, the Stand attempts to determine what numbers the players have selected from the manner in which they have placed their chips upon the board. The Stand then selects numbers on his dials 31-33 in an attempt to match one or more of the remaining players dial numbers. If the Stand is successful in matching one or more of the dial numbers selected by the other players, those particular numbers are cancelled and the other players may not use them in determining their total.

For example, assume that a player has selected No. l on his dial 31, the red 5 on his dial 32 and 4 on his dial 33. He, therefore, has an original total of 10. Assume further that the Stand has a combination of 5, red 5 and 4 on his dials 31, 32 and 33, respectively. The first players red 5 and 4 are cancelled making his total 1. If this player has a board chip on the number 1, he will win and Will collect a certain number of chips from the Stand.

In order to determine the number of chips won by a player upon correctly estimating his total, certain odds are assigned to each of the numbers 27. Those odds are as follows:

Numbers with Numbers with odds of 11 to 1 odds of 6 to 1 Numbers with Numbers with odds of 4 to 1 odds of 2 to 1 Thus, going on with the above example, if the player has correctly selected the number 1 with one of his board chips, he will receive eleven chips from the Stand.

If a player selects the Wrong number 27, he loses a single playing chip to the Stand. In other words, if the players final total of numbers on his dials does not equal the number selected on the board, the player loses a playing chip for each wrongly placed board chip. Of course, if the player has placed two or three of his board chips on the particular number 27, then the odds on that number will be doubled or tripled, respectively. Carrying on with the above example, if the player had placed three chips on number 1, he would collect 33 chips from the Stand.

After the Stand has completed his selection, the guards 40 in front of the other three players dials are lifted and the scoring is determined as above described. The above described procedure of each player selecting numbers on his dials, the Stand attempting to match the numbers and the scoring is termed a frame. After each frame has been completed, the Stand position shifts to the left. When each of the players has been the Stand once, one round has been played. The length of the game can be set at a given number of rounds or may be determined when one player collects all of the chips from his opponents.

From the above description, it can be seen that the present invention provides a novel and interesting game which is simple of construction, inexpensive of manufacture and highly amusing and entertaining to the players. It can also be seen that the present embodiment of the game is capable of being played by two, three or four players. In order to allow for more players, the game board might be designed with more sides or more than one game board might be used. It can also be seen that the present invention provides a game which makes use of conventional chips such as those used in the playing of poker and other games of chance.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. A game structure comprising a rectangular playing board provided with a number of circles on the central portion thereof, each of said circles having one of a series of different numbers therein, a plurality of discs rotatably mounted adjacent each of the four sides of said board, each of said discs carrying a plurality of radially arranged numbers, a plurality of indicators provided on said board for each of said discs whereby each of said discs may be rotated to indicate one of the numbers thereon, and a removable guard for each side of the board, each of said guards being formed of three foldably connected parts and of a sufiicient size to shield all of the discs adjacent a particular side of the board.

2. A game structure comprising a square playing board provided With a number of circles on the central portion thereof, said board having a dilferent number Within each of said circles, a group of three discs rotatably mounted adjacent each of the four sides of said board, each of said discs carrying four radially arranged numbers, each of said groups of discs being identical, an indicator on said board for each of said discs whereby each of said discs may be rotated to indicate one of the numbers thereon, a removable guard for each group of three discs, each of said guards being formed of three foldably connected parts, a most central of said three parts being rectangular and the other two of said parts extending from said central part at an angle whereby said guard will stand generally upright with said parts supporting one another, and four differently colored groups of three markers proportioned and arranged for marking desired ones of said circles.

3. A game structure comprising a playing board provided with a number of marked-off separate areas on the central portion thereof, each of said areas having one of a series of different numbers therein, a plurality of player stations on said board adjacent the edge thereof, a plurality of elements rotatably mounted at each of said stations, each of said elements carrying a plurality of radially arranged numbers, a plurality of indicators pro- 5 vided on said board for each of said elements whereby each of said elements may be rotated to indicate one of the numbers thereon, and a plurality of guards removably resting on said board, each of said guards being formed to shield all of the elements at a particular sta- 10 tion from the View of players at other stations.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS George Aug. 30, 1892 Gregg Aug. 17, 1926 Salomon Aug. 6, 1929 Scofield Aug. 15, 1944 French July 22, 1958 Siegel Feb. 17, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 20, 1957 

3. A GAME STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLAYING BOARD PROVIDED WITH A NUMBER OF MARKED-OFF SEPARATE AREAS ON THE CENTRAL PORTION THEREOF, EACH OF SAID AREAS HAVING ONE OF A SERIES OF DIFFERENT NUMBERS THEREIN, A PLURALITY OF PLAYER STATIONS ON SAID BOARD ADJACENT THE EDGE THEREOF, A PLURALITY OF ELEMENTS ROTATABLY MOUNTED AT EACH OF SAID STATIONS, EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS CARRYING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY ARRANGED NUMBERS, A PLURALITY OF INDICATORS PROVIDED ON SAID BOARD FOR EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS WHEREBY EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS MAY BE ROTATED TO INDICATE ONE OF THE NUMBERS THEREON, AND A PLURALITY OF GUARDS REMOVABLY RESTING ON SAID BOARD, EACH OF SAID GUARDS BEING FORMED TO SHIELD ALL OF THE ELEMENTS AT A PARTICULAR STATION FROM THE VIEW OF PLAYERS AT OTHER STATIONS. 